4 4. SURPRISE! SURPRISE!!

BRIA

We head back to bed at around three in the morning with heavy eyes and happy hearts. Obviously, our little past midnight party resulted in we waking up late in the morning. And with late I mean super-late, that was 10 in the morning. Thank god we didn't have to open the café today as every year we spend my birthday visiting parks or museums and have fun.

Today we decided to go to an amusement park. When I told kids this news they were more than ecstatic. Benji tried to warn me that we couldn't be able to handle these tornadoes but I waved him off saying my kids are mature now. Oh boy! I was so wrong.!

When we reached the park in the evening it was bustling with people. Families, friends and couples were trying various rides and were playing different games. The moment we entered the gates everyone was out of my sight in a blink. Benji gave me his famous 'i-told-you-so' look and shrugged saying I would have to handle my mature kids.

So here was I in the middle of an amusement park between hundreds of strangers, screaming my lungs out and rotating my head in almost three-sixty, looking like a runaway patient from the mental asylum on my birthday eve. God! I should have listened to Benji's wise words when he suggested a movie night in the warmth of our cosy living room with doors locked instead of coming here.

When I couldn't get hold of them, I sighed in defeat and sat on the nearby bench. I looked around the park at people laughing and enjoying. We were in the park for about one hour and I didn't even try a single ride yet. All I did was looking after the kids, running after them, yelling to be careful at them and yes that's it. I never planned my birthday eve like this. I knew it was not anyone's fault. These kids didn't get to visit such places and enjoy like normal kids that often. Instead, they worked at home every day helping me and Benji. And on the weekends and holidays, they worked in café because we couldn't afford any employee. These were some rare times when they get a chance to forget about this cruel life and enjoy it for a moment. But still, I felt a pang of hurt feeling alone on my special day.

"Bria what are you doing here let's go and have some funnnnn" Lily came bouncing with happiness and dragged me towards others.

When I saw faces of kids radiating with happiness, I felt a pang of guilt. I shouldn't have thought like that before. I couldn't be selfish. I promised these kids and myself to give them all the happiness they deserve. And my happiness lied in their happiness.

I loosened up a little and forgot about all sad thoughts. We spend the rest of our time playing various games and trying all rides. We danced and sang in our worst voices for all crowd to look at us with weird looks. Some were smiling at our antics while some were giving us disapproving glances but we didn't pay any mind to them and focused on our mission to make this evening as one more best memory. At one point Benji got so embarrassed because of our madness that he grumbled under his breaths and walk away as if he didn't even know us.

I really enjoyed my evening and all the sad thoughts puff out in the thin air. I couldn't keep a smile away from my face. We ate ice creams, popcorns, hotdogs, pizzas and what not without thinking of trouble we all would surely face in the next morning.

The time we head back to home it was already past ten in the night. Our minds and bodies were tired due to all the activities we have done in the amusement park. Jack was already passed out in the hands of Benji. Lily was half asleep and was supported by equally tired Liam. Others were yawning and rubbing their eyes in an attempt to keep their eyes open.

We neared our house when I saw something unusual. A dark figure was sitting on the front steps. The person was a man in black pants and a black suit. His head was down as he was typing something on his phone. I couldn't see his face as it was hidden in the shadows and low light from a single bulb near the front door. Benji came at my side giving me sideways glance. He handed Jack to Ava and gave kids the look to stand at a safe distance.

As we neared the person, he sensed our presence and lift his head to look at us. He stood up and towered over my 5'6 tall frame. His face was devoid of any emotions and his eyes were alert and filled with irritation. He glanced towards the kids and as on instinct, I took a step forward crossing my arms over my chest trying to be little intimidating. Well, I tried. He continued to look at me without giving out anything on his face. But I could clearly see annoyance in his eyes which he tried to hide.

"well... Are you going to stand there like a statue or got any genuine reason to sit at my front door at ten in the night?" I broke the silence finally.

He tilted his head and said in an arrogant tone "took you long to get back home Miss Bria Maxwell."

"Who are you?" Benji took a protective step forward and clasped my shoulders as an indication to the other man that he was there to protect me.

The action didn't go unnoticed as the man in front of me smirked. I didn't get very good vibes from him.

He put his hands in the pocket of his jacket and pulled out a white envelope. He showed it to me which I accepted apprehensively.

"This is a legal notice from my Boss. You have one month to leave this place and your house. My boss will send you the papers for this place with some... Compensation. Sign the papers. Take the money and leave." He said in a robotic voice like he has recited it for hours and was not very interested in the conversation.

I stood there dumbfoundedly while looking at the envelope as if it would grow legs and crawl from my hands. I felt Benji's body stiffen beside me and his hold on my shoulder became tight.

It took me full five minutes to comprehend what this shithead just said. And then... I started laughing hysterically clutching my stomach. After solid three minutes, my laugh subsided as I saw everyone looking at me with a look that said 'she-has-lost-it". I turned to look the worried Benji and the reality hit me like a bucket of cold water. It was no joke then!

"get out"

"Pardon?"

"I said get the fuck out of my property before I snap your little... well, not so little neck and bury you in my backyard with lilies planted on your grave. And never and I mean ever dare to come back near my home." My voice boomed into the silence of the night. At that moment I didn't care that I used a bad word in front of kids as I was fuming with anger.

Thank god we are the only ones who live in this area and there were no other houses in our proximity or else someone surely has already called police on me.

"I will suggest you watch your precious little mouth, Miss Maxwell," he said in a threatening tone, his eyes blazing with anger.

This despicable human being! His arrogance added fuel to my burning anger. I clenched my fists trying to control myself.

"listen, you fuckface. I am not some damsel in distress that will come begging for mercy at your feet. How dare you come to my house and order me to leave my house that too within a month?! I am warning you for the last time. Get. The. Hell. Out. Of. Here." I stretched my hand showing him way out.

"my boss-"

"I don't give a single shit about you or your boss."

He looked at me for a minute and then straightened up and thrust his chin in the air.

"fine. It seems like you don't understand the easy way. I will take your leave miss Maxwell. For now. It's getting late and it is not safe for a pretty lady like you or your innocent little friends to roam this late at night." His gaze shifted behind me where all kids were standing and watching the scene before them with nervousness. "this is a very bad world with many bad people miss Maxwell. You may never know what-"

Before he could utter one more word from his filthy mouth a sound of crack echoed in the silence.

Yep. You guessed it right, people. I punched him square in his dung face and broke his nose. I am so fucking strong!

I smirked evilly as his eyes went wide with shock and face contorted into pain. Take that bitch. No one gets to threaten my kids.

"you will regret this. You don't know who you are messing with." He was shouting and cursing but I didn't pay him any mind and opened the front door.

Benji ushered all the kids inside the house and went after them. I turned to close the door but saw that man fuming in anger and cursing loudly. I was very pissed that I wanted to go after him and give him the hospitality he deserved. Note the sarcasm. But I was damn tired and I had to wake up early the next day. So I closed the door not before showing him my middle finger.

Benji managed to take all the kids to their room. I was sure that the kids were not scared. Nervous .. yes. But not scared. They have seen the worst before. It was hard to live life on your own with the help of an old man and six kids. We have been through many rough experiences so they knew that Bria Maxwell doesn't get shit from anyone. And it took more than mere threats to break her.

I went to my room after saying good night to everyone and getting hugs, kisses and birthday wishes. I was too tired to take a bath so, I skipped it and wash my face. I changed into the comfortable pyjamas and crawl under the covers on the bed. The encounter with that man kept replaying in my head. A small smile came over my face as I recalled my punch. I was proud of me for that. I never expected my birthday to end like this. At the back of my mind, there was this dread feeling that told me that this was not the end. This was some long-term serious shit.

My train of thoughts was disturbed when I heard soft knocks on the door. I frowned thinking who could be there at this late in the night. I was dead tired and my bed was not letting me go away from it. My bed was hopelessly in love with me. I relaxed back when I didn't hear the knocks again but after some time, I heard them again. I promised my bed that I will be back in a minute and dragged my half-asleep form towards the door. I opened it rubbing my eyes but all my sleep ran out of the window when I saw angry Benji stood there staring at me with hard eyes.

"uu.. hey" I mumbled thinking why was he angry.

"you are forgetting something, Bria Maxwell." He stated in his calm but firm voice.

Benji never used my full name ever, except when I do something really stupid. My mind was running faster than Usain Bolt rewinding the whole day thinking what I have done to anger him. He stood there looking at me with hard eyes and his hands behind his back which I was sure must have turned white because of his tight clench. I bite my lip in nervousness and my hands raised to my neck to fiddle with my necklace. The habit which annoyed Benji out of his mind but I couldn't help it when I feel strong emotions like nervousness, fear or anger.

My hand froze and eyes went wide when I felt my bare neck. Holy shit! I looked up at Benji in realisation and panic filled my mind. He was fuming in anger and frustration. Uh oooh! You are in a deep shit Bria the idiot.

"i- i- my .." I stuttered in panic. Benji took a deep breath to calm him and showed my necklace dangling it in front of my face.

"you forgot to wear it today. I found it in your bag which you left in the living room."

"thank god you found it, Benji. I- I am so sorry. I was-"

"enough Bria. I already told you a thousand times that this is the necklace your mom left for you. You should wear it every day and every minute no matter what. Don't you understand this simple thing, huh?" his voice was rising with every word.

I felt very bad seeing him this angry. I never liked angry Benji. I open my mouth to say something when he lifted his finger and silenced me.

"we will talk in the morning. Go to sleep." He turned on his heels without a more word and descend down the stairs towards his room.

I closed the door and ran to my bed. I got under the covers and felt hot tears running down my eyes. I hate crying. It washed all my pain and making me numb. And I was tired of this numbness. I looked at the necklace in my hand. It was the gift from my mom on my first birthday as I have been told. It was a silver crystal mermaid pendant. The chain was silver and thin. The pendent was embedded with aquamarine coloured stone with silver leaf design on it.

I wear it every day as long as I remember. I didn't know why but Benji was always adamant that I wear it every day, even during swimming classes. Whenever I forgot to wear it, he got very furious like I have lost one of the kids in the park. It always irked me but I never questioned him. I thought that he looked at it as a memory of my mother as he was my parents' close friend for years.

This pendant opened my unhealed wounds again. Today I turned twenty. But I had to spend my special day without my parents every single year. How I wished my parents were here hugging me and showering me with their love, telling me how proud they are of me. My father surely had kicked that douchebag's ass when he disrespected me. The thought brought a smile on my face. I miss you, mom and dad. I really do.

A yawn escaped my mouth and then I retired to my la la land thinking about my parents.